Gay Puerto Vallarta

Gay Puerto Vallarta

Mexico Is Frighteningly Unprepared for the Coronavirus. As the virus spreads, the government is still downplaying the danger. See Slate, March 19, 2020.

On March 24th, Mexico announced it would suspend all public and private gatherings for the next month.

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Puerto Vallarta was founded the same year as Seattle, in 1851. The small fishing village soon became a local vacation destination, but access was limited to sea routes and mule trails, until airplanes first arrived in 1932. A road connection was built in 1942, the same year that vacation ads of the Air Transport Company of Jalisco began to appear in a New York magazine. By 1945 their DC-3s were bringing 21 passengers per flight for fun in the sun. But it was the 1963 John Huston film, The Night of the Iguana, with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and their media-grabbing love affair and marriage, that really put Puerto Vallarta on the US tourist map.

The city's gay evolution began just two decades ago. That's when Paco Ruiz opened his namesake gay nightclub, Club Paco Paco in this seaside getaway on the west coast of Mexico. At the time, there was only one other gay bar in town. Despite being arrested three times, Ruiz refused to be intimidated by the police harassment. Eventually the media attention and public sympathy that followed created a friendlier environment for his and other gay businesses.

Now Mexico's most popular gay destination, bar none, this is a magnet for gay tourists from all over North America, a short flight away. Today there are around thirty gay bars and nightclubs at any given time, many gay-friendly cafes and restaurants, and over a dozen gay hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. There are also lively and eclectic local arts, crafts and live music scenes, along with chefs who trained in some of the world's finest restaurants at work here.

At Thanksgiving there's a Jeffrey Sanker White Party, and the New Years celebrations feature another Jeffrey Sanker White Party, along with Will Gorges NYE PVR at Oscars. Beef Dip is the annual men's week/ bear gathering in late January. Another White Party follows during the February President's Day Weekend in the USA. Vallarta Pride events take place in May, with Parade, Block Party, GlowJob Clothing-Optional Party, White Party, pool and beach parties, fashion show, boat cruise, Drag Derby, Pride Run, Health Fair, films and concerts, climaxing on the last weekend of the month. CarnavalPV was cancelled in 2019.

Neighborhoods

Zona Romantica. Almost all the gay businesses are located in the south end of the city in the historic district of Emiliano Zapata. Everything is easily walkable in this quaint, cobblestoned part of town. The gay section of the beach at Playa de los Muertos is here too, long associated with Blue Chairs hotel/restaurant and nightclub.El Centro. This is the city's downtown, located just north of the Zona Romantica on the other side of the Cuale River. Although some refer to the Zona Romantica as the "Old Town," El Centro is older. This side of the river now has only two gay bars and just one gay men-only B&B, but a number of good restaurants, the Our Lady of Guadalupe parish church, and the Malecon boardwalk remain of interest.The Hotel Zone. This is the area north of downtown where you'll find most of the modern high-rise hotels. Unless you are desperate to redeem points at a chain hotel, you'll be better off staying in Zona Romantica or El Centro.

Getting here

The Puerto Vallarta Gustavo Diaz Ordaz Airport is just north of the hotel zone. A cab from the airport to the Zona Romantica can be found either among the official government taxis (tickets at the booth just past the timeshare hucksters), or by walking across the pedestrian bridge to take one of the city cabs lined up on the other side of the road for a bit less. Puerto Vallarta Tours and Vallarta Transfers offer stress-free and inexpensive pre-reserved tranfers into town, in air-conditioned comfort.

Diana's Tours offers pickup services for their cruise clients. For just US$24 a driver will whisk 1 or 2 travelers to their hotel. For larger groups in a van, that's US$10 per person. A company rep will be waiting by luggage claim, and again after you pass customs, to escort you.

Car rentals can be found in the arrivals terminal, but also in town without difficulty, for when you need one to get around beyond the city limits. Having a car can otherwise be more hassle than it's worth. For those traveling light and cheap, the city bus stop is just outside the airport gates.

Puerto Vallarta is in the same state of Jalisco as Guadalajara, just over five hours away by car or coach. ETN (website in English), one of several companies offering modern inter-city coach service, some with WiFi access, with eleven daily round-trips between the two cities.

Getting around

Unless you plan to do a lot of driving outside of the city, don't rent a car. Taxis are plentiful and cheap, although you should agree on a fare before you get inside. Pay in Mexican pesos for a better rate. Although it's not customary to tip taxi drivers, locals will often round up the fare. Most North Americans do tip - one reason why drivers seem so eager to pick them up.

Buses run north and south for those who want to explore further out, and renting a Jeep or Volkswagen convertible is easy and affordable. Most hotels have excellent concierge service and can point you in the right direction. Looking for a day on a secluded beach? There are many local fishing boats you can charter to take you across the bay. Ask your concierge to recommend one.

Some parts of town have steep steps-only streets, inaccessible by taxi except from the top or bottom ends of the road. Those with potential problems should plan ahead and consult their hotels about getting around when venturing beyond the flat beach front areas - help can always be at hand. As in many Hispanic and European countries, address numbers usually follow the street names, but some businesses use the English/French convention of putting numbers before street names on their websites.

Currency and Money
Mexico’s currency is the peso, which is divided into 100 centavos. In 2017-18 the exchange rate ranged from 18-20 pesos to the US dollar. See XE for current rates. ATMs are everywhere around town, so there’s no need to carry a lot of cash. Remember to tell your bank about travel plans for hassle-free debit and credit card transactions.

GayGuideVallarta recommends using Cashola ATMs as having "the most up to date anti-skimming technology and has excellent bilingual customer support in the event of any problems" - this after reports of card cloning around town. PuertoVallarta.net has a list of local banks. HSBC, Santander, and Scotiabank are three internationals with local branch offices.

What to see& do

Hit the Beach: It's always warm enough to swim in Puerto Vallarta, so, not surprisingly, the beach is the city's most popular attraction. Puerto Vallarta's unofficial gay beach is the Blue Chairs Beach. It's on the southern end of Los Muertos beach, directly in front of the Blue Chairs Resort by the Sea. A second, smaller gay beach resort was established a few years ago, a short walk to the north, and the sands in front of other more traditional beachside restaurants have become more gay-friendly in recent years. Staff will soon welcome you like old friend to a shaded chair overlooking the shimmering water, with disarming smiles and a bucket of ice chilled beers - or whatever you fancy.

Walk the Malecon: the boardwalk on Banderas Bay runs from the north end of Zona Romantica, over the Cuale River and into downtown Puerto Vallarta. Interesting sculptures (including sand sculptures) dot the Malecon once you reach downtown. The famous dolphin and the arches that are symbolic of Puerto Vallarta are across from the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the city's best-known landmark. Several important religious festivals take place along these streets each year.
Stroll up the hill behind the church to find the famous pink Puente del Amor, the "love bridge" connecting mansions once occupied by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, at Calle Zaragoza 445.

Take a day cruise:Diana's Tours runs daylong catamaran excursions, departing every Thursday morning in season, from Los Muertos Pier, with snorkeling and beach stops along the way. Ocean Friendly Tours operates one of the most respected whale watching expeditions in Puerto Vallarta, December through March each year. Wet & Wild 6-hour cruises leave noon Saturdays in season from Los Muertos Pier, with on-board bar, snorkeling In Los Arcos Nature Reserve, lunch at a Las Animas beach restaurant, and a clothing-optional stop at Los Caballitos Beach - an 18+ "Gays Gone Wild" event.

Experience local scenery:Estigo Scooters offers off-road ATV tour adventures into the Sierra Madre Jungle, waterfalls, swimming holes and a beachside fishing village stop. Estigo also arranges zip-line canopy tours at Canopy Indio at Paradise Adventure Park. From a ranch north of Vallarta take leisurely rides with Boana Horseback into the hillside forest for a dip in the river, then a restaurant meal and drinks with a gay friendly guide. PV Sea Dive offers SCUBA diving tours and courses, snorkeling tours, whale watching and beach tours.

Shop on water: The island in the middle of the Cuale River includes a long stretch of shops where you can buy souvenirs and more artsy-fartsy stuff from local artisans.

Eat outside: It's almost never cold, so dine at one of the many sidewalk, beachfront and rooftop restaurants, and don't be afraid to eat like the locals at sidewalk taco stands. Check out our 50+ restaurant listings, plus those to be found among the hotels and resorts.

See a show:Act II Stages (Insurgentes 300) presents Main Stage musicals, plays, concert series, and Red Room cabaret and drag shows. The Encore Bar is also here. Also see stage productions at Incanto (Insurgentes 109).

Hit the clubs and dance the night away: Nightlife starts late here. Don't expect to see anyone in the big gay dance clubs before midnight, but there are plenty of options along the beach and in back streets of the Zona Romantica all day long. The Jeffrey Sanker group WPPV and Will Gorges present big New Year's dance parties each year, and there are parties for Vallarta Pride too, in late May. We list over 80 bars and cantinas, nightclubs, cafes, restaurants, cocktail lounges, male strip clubs and dance clubs at our map & listings pages, with the pick of these below.

Mix it up: Mexicans love Americans and Canadians, and vice versa, and most gay people in Puerto Vallarta speak enough English to get by. Don't worry if you only speak the international language of love, we list some places to get together below, under 'Bathhouses & spas.'

Organize your day

Area gay nightlife offers a wide variety of restaurants, clubs, bars, and martini lounges, most in the Zona Romantica. The scene starts relatively late, then continues at some locations until 8am. To follow local custom, take an afternoon siesta before heading out for a busy night of dinner, drinks, shows and dancing. Among the many shows are comedy routines, and drag and stripper shows. The Olvas Altas sidewalk cafes and bars, close by the beach, provide a particularly pleasant place to stroll in late afternoons and early evenings. Later, the scene moves to the late-night spots further in. Take care when leaving the clubs late -- travel in groups or have the club call a cab.

Media and Resources

Be sure to pick up Gay Guide Vallarta when you get into town. It's easy to follow, written mostly in English and includes a handy gay map.

GayPV gay magazine and directory, in partnership with the PV Convention & Visitors Bureau, has a print guide and website promoting gay Vallarta, in both English and Spanish.

The legendary Blue Chairs Resort by the Sea (Malecon 4, Playa Los Muertos; US/Canada 888-302-3662), one of the world's best known gay hotel resorts with 45 rooms, a popular beachside restaurant on the gay beach, and rooftop pool patio/bar nightly shows with Dirty Bitches drag and go-go boys. Staff here can book local tours and day trips.

Blue Chairs Beach Club Restaurant & Bar (Malecon 4), famous gay beachfront bar and restaurant in front of the gay resort hotel and nightclub, iconic blue chairs on the sand shaded by thatched palapas, breakfast, lunch and dinner; the gay place to be on the beach. Their hotel rooftop Blue Sunset bar is open to the public, with every-evening drag shows and go-go dancers.

Restaurants and Cafes
This town has plenty of places to eat, with a variety of cuisines to reflect the cosmopolitan nature of the people who live and visit here. Several places are run by classically trained chefs from the finest kitchens of Europe and North America, alongside talented and imaginative local and regional maestros of the culinary arts. All listed below are in Emiliano Zapata/Zona Romantica, unless otherwise noted. See locations, website links, and more restaurants at our maps & listings page. Many places close during the summer low season, to open again in early October.

Going out/ Bars & Clubs
After the beach becomes dark and the restaurants wrap up the night, the clubs begin to get busy. Influenced by habits of visitors, this town runs on both Mexican/Mediterranean and North American/European schedules, so there's always somewhere to go to be sociable. As in most gay scenes, there are early warm-up pubs, cantinas, and lounges, many of which serve food, and late-night clubs to dance or to admire the naked male strippers.

Cassandra Shaw Jewelry (Basilio Badillio 276), elegant store, original and unique handcrafted designs in the art of bijoux for both men and women.

Tropicasa Realty (Pulpito 145-A; 52-322-222-6505), superb service for those who crave their own little piece of paradise; for almost 20 years representing property buyers and sellers in Puerto Vallarta.

Safety warning

The beaches along Banderas Bay are warm and inviting, even at night. But being on the beach past sunset is not recommended, and be cautious with drug use or pickups. Accepting a solicitation for drugs or sex on the street could land you in a tight spot.

Ed Walsh In focus:

Cruising, Puerto Vallarta style
For 16 years now, Diana DeCoste has led gays and lesbians on tours of Puerto Vallarta's Banderas Bay. Her boat trips attract a mix of men and women, but the vast majority of the cruisers are gay men.
"I like to go to bed with women, but I can't make money off them," says DeCoste with her trademark cackling laugh that punctuates her tours.Diana's Tours runs daylong catamaran excursions that depart every Thursday morning from Los Muertos Pier, two blocks north of the Blue Chairs Beach. Look for the boat flying the rainbow flag.
The first stop on the tour is usually Los Arcos, a local landmark just south of Puerto Vallarta. Los Arcos, which means "the arches" in Spanish, refers to three giant hollowed-out rock formations large enough for some small boats to navigate. (When you see arches used to symbolize Puerto Vallarta, they refer to these natural wonders.)
The swim-through rock formations rank as Puerto Vallarta's most popular snorkeling stop. Tropical fish, including angelfish and damselfish, dart in and out of the crevices, making for a colorful show. No need to bring your own snorkeling gear, as Diana's Tours takes care of that.
After Los Arcos, the tour makes another stop at a private beach complete with a walking trail and waterfall. That's followed by lunch at a restaurant onshore.
"Now that you are all here," DeCoste often says, as her guests take their seats, "please listen very closely to this 90-
minute time-share presentation."
She laughs, and everyone instantly gets the inside joke. Travelers are besieged by people selling time-share properties in Puerto Vallarta, starting when they arrive at the airport.
After the cruise, DeCoste invites all her guests to enjoy a drink and some male strippers at an after-party at the rooftop bar at Blue Chairs Resort by the Sea. The total charge for the day is $95 per person (2015-2016 season). Tickets, which may be bought online, tend to sell out 4-6 weeks in advance, so plan ahead. The last cruise this year: June 9, 2016.

If you're interested in whale watching, openly gay oceanographer Oscar Frey runs one of the most respected whale watching tours in Puerto Vallarta, Ocean Friendly Tours. While his clients are mostly straight, his tours are very gay-friendly. The four and a half to five and a half hour excursions cost $130-150 per person, including beverages, snacks and lunch. Whale watching season runs from December 1st through March 23rd.

Besides an on-board bar, snorkeling In Los Arcos Nature Reserve, lunch at a Las Animas beach restaurant, and a clothing-optional stop at Los Caballitos Beach, Wet & Wild 6-hour cruises feature sexy lotion boys, bartender hunks, and a "gays gone wild show" to wrap it up up. Departures are noon sharp Wednesdays and Saturdays in season, from Los Muertos Pier. Cost: $85 paid no later than one day before your cruise.